Monday: Rotorua Waimangu Volcanic/Geothermal, Lake Rotomahana, Thermal Spa, Maori Cultural Center

We're dressed for a very, rainy day as we leave our hotel and head for the Waimangu Valley. The eruption of Mt. Tarawera in 1886 was HUGE and took the lives of 4 who were too close to the geyser when it blew. The smell of sulphur is in the air and our guide Steve describes the hot springs, 119 degree running streams, and steam rising from the hillsides. The temp gauge indicates the rock around the vents are almost too hot to touch.

The Inferno Crater Lake was a bright blue today, though it is often grey.

Steve was also our boat driver on Lake Rotomahana as we took a rainy 45 minute tour of the many geysers along the shore.

The sun came out as we head for downtown Rotorua for lunch at the Fat Dog. I had an awesome Caesar salad. Aline's hamburger was even more awesome!

Some of us go to the Polynesian Spa to "take" the thermal waters. There were seven pools of various temperatures and different minerals to soften skin and sooth aching bones and muscles. After only 45 minutes, we all come out feeling like wet noodles... I am spent -- we all promised NOT to take pictures in the coed spa... :o)

This evening the group heads for a show and dinner at the Maori Cultural Center at Whak-arewa-rewa, which is hard enough to pronounce without knowing that "Wh" is pronounced like "F" in Maori. We touch noses twice in greeting, "taking in" each other's family. Her family name has 37 letters.

Our guide demonstrates to us what it is like living alongside the thermal activity in Rotorua. It's difficult getting used to the sulphurous smells of the area. Much of their food is cooked using the natural steam.

We see their meeting hall of ancestors.

And we learn how to transform flax leaves into skirts.

They proudly dance for us and show us their fiercesome haka stance.

And finally, dinner is a typical Maori thermally steamed meal -- green lipped mussels, chicken, corned beef, stuffing, yams, potatoes, carrots, and corn; with steamed pudding and toppings for dessert..  Tomorrow we fly to Queenstown on the South Island.